Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-07-14
FACTS ABOUT NAMES.

Sharp. tn Detroit Free Press.
|
FACTS ABOUT NAMES.
The Funny Way. in which Patronymic
| Are Coined and Transformed.
AnglO-Saxons appear to have frs
| given surnames indicating some mora
or mental attributes, as, for instance
Wise, Good, Swift, Jolly. Merry. Meek
Gay, Goodman, Makepeace, etc. Their
we have names indicating real OF
fancied resemblance to some animal
such as Bear. Lion, Wolf, Hogg, Har
and Hare. From physical character
istics or peculiarities must have origin.
ated such names as Long, Short, Black,
Brown, White, Whitehead, Cruikshank,
Strong, Armstrong, Longfellow and
Greathead. A nickname kept in a
family for 4 generation or two becomes
patrOnymic. Hence such names as
Hopper. Jumpek Springer, Daddys-
man, Poor and Rich.
The Nc and o of the Irish and the
Mac of the Scotch indicate descent.
There is another way in which the
same thing is shown: Adams son be-
comes AdamsOn, David's son David
son; Thompson, Wilson, Williamson,
Donaldson, Anderson and many other
names are similarly derived. LOCAL.
ties OF places of residence usually gave
rise to such names as Hill, Dale, Wood.
Green, Greenwood, Heath, Rivers.
Waters and Parks. Such names as
Welsh. French, Irish, Ireland, En-
glish and Scott may perhaps be traced
back to the nationality of some remote
ancestor.
Some of the Pennsylvania Dutch
names which have been partly tians-
formed into English are queer enoagh.
In Armstrong County, Pa, there are
several families by the name of
Schreckengcist, which signifies in
German ghost or specter of terrible
appearance. One would think the
name could be made no worse, hut
some of the people have succeeded in
transforming it into Shriekingghost.
Milliron. Morningstar, Redheffer and
Barndollar are other German names
which have been partly translated.
The names which were derived from
occupations are probably more numer-
Gus than any other class. All know
how widespread the Smith family is.
In the same category belong the
Clarks CLERKS originality, Cooks,
Coopers, Bakers, BARRIERS, Taylors,
ShOemakers. Tanners, Farmers and
others The months or days in which
people were born originated such
names as May. June. January, March,
Friday and Monday.
The inns of old England are prob
ably responsible for many names. For
instance: John of the Rose became
John Rose; Thomas of the Bell, Tom
Bell; Richard of the Hawk, Richard
Hawk; Henry of the "greathouse ~
became Henry Greathouse, and so on,
until there is scarcely bird, animal,
or other device that ever figured on a
sign-board that is not perpetuated as a
family name.
The poverty of invention of the pio-
neer community in America IN the
matter of names for towns results in
bcstowing some absurd appellations
on backwoods hamlets. Who can
nasae county. either east or west,
which has not some village styled Paris,
Oxford. Jerusalem. London. Berlin. or
else equally absurd?
There arc. perhaps, as many queer
names among the Eaglish as among
any people on earth. Dickens stories
abound in them, yet very few of his
names were manufactured. Such
names as Slaughter, Startup. Goto-
bed, Deadman. Churchyard, Dogberry
and Fudge are found in English direct
cries
The Romans had double. triple or
even quadruple names, as, for example,
Gains Julius Cesar, Tarquinius Superb
us. and Quintus Fabius Maximus FIRE.
quently an honorary name was added
to commemorate some warlike achieve
ment; Fabius was called Cunc:ator,
and Scipio Africanus.
Sometimes the very queerest of names
get coupled together as the title Of
firm. Here are few specimens: Hook
& Ketch. Cobb & Hay, Peacock &
Sparrow. Fox & Crane. Singer & Hoot-
er, Drake & Gander, Fisher & Fowler,
Goslin & Pond, Wild & Free, Cannon &
Chicago Ne,CS
Roll whOrtleberries five minvfos.